This application relates generally to dynamic asset tracking and, more particularly, to a data management framework for maintaining location and status information for physical objects, persons, and points in space within a dynamic environment.
Many systems have been developed for tracking and storing information on personnel and physical asset location. Many of these systems involve the use of transponders or tags attached to the persons or objects. These devices may be configured to transmit location information to a central processor either periodically or upon user request. Location information for the tagged personnel or assets may be stored by the central processor in a user-accessible database. Other systems may use Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to determine location along with a communication device for transmitting information to the central processor.
The above-described prior art asset systems require active or passive tags or other devices for every asset to be tracked. This tends to limit the number of assets tracked. Many systems are intended for relatively wide area tracking and are unsuitable for narrow tracking within a particular sub-space (e.g., a room within a building or ship). Those systems that actually are intended for narrow tracking fail to take into account that the surrounding environment may move or change or over time.
A particularly significant example of a dynamic spatial environment is the space on board a large ship. Not only does the ship itself move, its structure is flexible so that the position of a particular compartment or supporting structure in one part of the ship may change relative to other parts of the ship. Similar dynamic behavior can occur in tall buildings, construction sites, outdoor processing plants, roadways, bridges, etc.
Existing systems are also generally limited in the information that is automatically provided to the central processor. Unless the object itself is equipped to provide status information, directly or indirectly, to the central processor, any information on object status must be determined and reported by an observer.